CALIFORNIA

Fandango to Offer Ticket Service for UA Theaters

Fandango, the Santa Monica-based online movie-ticket broker, said it will sell tickets for United Artists theaters beginning next week, when the chain drops AOL Time Warner Inc.'s Moviefone service. Terms were not disclosed.

The agreement comes as closely held Fandango said Regal Entertainment extended its existing contract through 2009, making Fandango the exclusive outlet for advance ticket sales for Regal's Edwards, Regal and United Artists chains.

"If you want to buy advance tickets for United Artists theaters, the only place you can do it is with Fandango," Fandango Chief Executive Art Levitt said.

With the addition of United Artists, Fandango will represent 850 theaters. Fandango said it charges a service fee to the ticket buyer and then pays a percentage of that to the theater owner.

The company was formed in 2000 by Regal Entertainment, Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corp., Carmike Cinemas Inc. and closely held Cinemark Inc. and Century Theatres.

"Only a very small percentage of our users use the service to buy tickets," AOL Moviefone General Manager Steven Yee said. Moviefone generates revenue from advertising and doesn't rely only on ticketing, he said.

About 70% of the theaters where customers can buy tickets online use Fandango, Levitt said. Fandango competes with Moviefone and MovieTickets.com.